Is Boeing the best at retaining its historically significant aircraft as manufacturers go?

Boeing gave the Dash 80 to the Smithsonian but has the original "ship #1" for: 727, 737, 747, 757. I don't know about the first 767 and I'm sure the original 777 is still earning a living.

Does anyone know what ever happened to the first DC-8, DC-9 & DC-10 ? Are they being preserved? What about Convair, Lockheed, Airbus, Fokker & BaE. Hawker, DH Vickers etc. Did any of their ship #1 aircraft survive?

Boeing through the Seattle Museum of Flight (which is technically an independent charity). However Boeing has given it many fine gifts and many Boeing people are on its board as well. And most of the volunteers are either Boeing employees, retirees or family.

Boeing / Museum of Flight has collected its first editions quite well. . . No other manufacturer has a collection that comes even close.

And I would say no. But seeing how they have more history than most aircraft makers they have a better chance of getting historical aircraft. Airbus a/c are still making history! MD is no longer there as well seeing how Boeing owns them.

The first 757 is usually parked at the AWACS ramp at KBFI it is the testbed for the F-22 avionics. It is still in use with a really funky radar array attached above the cockpit.

The original 737 was returned from NASA some time ago and is now parked next to the Concorde.

There is a 767 that housed a LASER observatory / missile test rig with a huge hump on top of the fuselage. . . But are you positive that it is the first 767??? This one used to be parked at KBFI also but now I think it is in the desert somewhere. . .

I was amazed at the collection of ("original") Boeing A/C that the Musuem of Flight had...and I'm looking forward to going back to Seattle after the winter to see/do more.

(Only disappointments: The 747's paint job was looking somewhat depressing and I really wish that the Musuem of Flight had more Boeing/Commercial stuff... I'm not the world's biggest Military Av. fan)

Though, probably a large part of the reason Convair and Lockheed don't seem to have done that great a job is that AFAIK, Convair and the commercial side of Lockheed no longer exist and aircraft take a lot of room to store.

Lincoln
[I wish Everett was open when I was up there, though stumbling across AS's HQ was a nice detour... Even if I couldn't see inside ]

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